Piezoelectric lighter with pivot nozzle head

ABSTRACT

A piezoelectric lighter includes a lighter body, a nozzle head including a nozzle seat and a gas emitting nozzle supported on the nozzle seat in a stationary manner for controlling gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle, and a nozzle joint movably coupling the nozzle head with the lighter body, wherein the nozzle joint has a guiding slot allowing a gas tube extending to the gas emitting nozzle and an ignition tip of a piezoelectric unit extending to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle, wherein the nozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to the lighter body via the nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientation of the gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of the nozzle head with respect to the lighter body.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to apiezoelectric lighter with a pivot nozzle head, wherein the nozzle headis adapted to turn with respect to a lighter body so as to selectivelyadjust an ignition angle of the nozzle head.

2. Description of Related Arts

A lighter is a common tool that replaces matches for igniting cigarettesand cigars. Generally, a conventional lighter, such as a piezoelectriclighter, comprises a lighter casing having a liquefied fuel storage, agas nozzle extended to a ceiling of the lighter casing and communicatingwith the liquefied fuel storage for controlling a flow of gas, apiezoelectric unit disposed in the lighter casing for generating sparkswhen the piezoelectric unit is depressed, and a pusher button slidablymounted on the lighter casing and arranged when the pusher button isdepressed downwardly, the piezoelectric unit is depressed while the gasis released from the liquefied fuel storage to the gas nozzle and isignited by the sparks.

However, such piezoelectric lighter has a major drawback that suchpiezoelectric lighter can provide a single ignition angle. Since the gasnozzle is fixed to the lighter casing in an upright manner, the gas canonly upwardly ejected from the gas nozzle to form the flame when thelighter is ignited. For example, when the user wants to lighten up acandle, he or she may merely put the lighter at a slanted position thatthe gas nozzle is pointing at the top of the wick such that the flamecan directly lighten the wick. Since the gas is upwardly ejected fromthe gas nozzle, the lighter cannot effectively lighten the candle whenthe lighter is in such slanted position.

In order to solve the above problem, the lighter manufacturer can makethe piezoelectric lighter that the gas nozzle is inclinedly supported atthe lighter casing such that the gas nozzle is adapted to directlypointing at the wick of the candle while the lighter casing is at anupright manner. However, such lighter is not practical use forlightening a cigarette. In addition, most users would like to use autility lighter having an elongated gas nozzle tube to lighten up thecandle. However, the utility lighter is bulky that the user is unable tocarry the utility lighter in his or her pocket.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectriclighter, which comprises a nozzle head adapted to turn with respect to alighter body so as to selectively adjust an ignition angle of the nozzlehead.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectriclighter, wherein the nozzle head is pivotally mounted on the lighterbody such that the user is able to pivotally turn the nozzle head toselect the gas ejecting either at an upright manner or at an inclinedmanner from the nozzle head so as to enhance the practical use of thepiezoelectric lighter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectriclighter, wherein the nozzle head comprises a nozzle seat pivotallymounted to the lighter body and a gas emitting nozzle mounted on thenozzle seat in a stationary manner such that when the nozzle seat isturned with respect to the lighter body, the gas emitting nozzle iscorrespondingly supported by the nozzle seat so as to ensure the gasejecting at the gas emitting nozzle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectriclighter, which does not require to alter the original structural designof the lighter so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the lighterincorporating with the nozzle head.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a piezoelectriclighter, wherein no expensive or complicated mechanism is required toemploy in the piezoelectric lighter, so that the present inventionsuccessfully provides an economic and efficient solution not only forallowing the nozzle head to be turned to adjust the ignition angle ofthe lighter but also for facilitating the practical use of the lighter.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the presentinvention provides a piezoelectric lighter, comprising:

a lighter body having a liquefied gas storage and a gas tubecommunicatively extending therefrom;

a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in the lighter body forgenerating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating partextended upwardly and an ignition tip, wherein when the movableoperating part is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from theignition tip;

a pusher button slidably mounted to the lighter body to depress themovable operating part of the piezoelectric unit and to release a flowof gas from the liquefied gas storage through the gas tube at the sametime;

a nozzle head comprising a nozzle seat and a gas emitting nozzlesupported on the nozzle seat in a stationary manner for controlling thegas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle; and

a nozzle joint, which is movably coupling the nozzle head with thelighter body, having a guiding slot allowing the gas tube extending tothe gas emitting nozzle and the ignition tip of the piezoelectric unitextending to a position closed to the gas emitting nozzle, wherein thenozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to thelighter body via the nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientationof the gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle of thenozzle head with respect to the lighter body.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed description,the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a piezoelectric lighter with apivot nozzle head according to a first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the piezoelectric lighter with the pivotnozzle head according to the above first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pivot nozzle head of thepiezoelectric lighter according to the above first preferred embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a piezoelectric lighter with a pivotnozzle head according to second preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pivot nozzle head of thepiezoelectric lighter according to the above second preferred embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, a piezoelectric lighteraccording to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention isillustrated, wherein the piezoelectric lighter comprises a lighter body10 having a liquefied gas storage 11 and a gas tube 12 communicativelyextending therefrom, a piezoelectric unit 20, and a pusher button 30.

The piezoelectric unit 20, which is disposed in the lighter body 10 forgenerating piezoelectricity, comprises a movable operating part 21extended upwardly and an ignition tip 22, wherein when the movableoperating part 21 is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from theignition tip 22.

The pusher button 30 is slidably mounted to the lighter body 10 todepress the movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 andto release a flow of gas from the liquefied gas storage 11 through thegas tube 12 at the same time.

The piezoelectric lighter further comprises a nozzle head 40 and anozzle joint 50 movably coupling the nozzle head 40 with the lighterbody 10.

The nozzle head 40 comprises a nozzle seat 41 and a gas emitting nozzle42 supported on the nozzle seat 41 in a stationary manner forcontrolling the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle 42.

The nozzle joint 50 has a guiding slot 501 allowing the gas tube 12extending to the gas emitting nozzle 42 and the ignition tip 22 of thepiezoelectric unit 20 extending to a position closed to the gas emittingnozzle 42, wherein the nozzle seat 41 is adapted to be selectivelyturned with respect to the lighter body 10 via the nozzle joint 50 toselectively adjust an orientation of the gas emitting nozzle 42 so as toadjust an gas ejecting angle of the nozzle head 40 with respect to thelighter body 10.

According to the preferred embodiment, the lighter body 10 has aU-shaped top portion defining two inner sidewalls 101 and a top ceilingwall 102 to receive the nozzle head 40 between the two inner sidewalls101 on top of the tope ceiling wall 102. The lighter body 10 further hasa pusher slot 13 formed on a sidewall to guide the pusher button 30sliding on the lighter body 10.

The gas tube 12 is made of flexible material such as plastic adapted toflexibly extend from the liquefied gas storage 11 to the gas emittingnozzle 42 to guide the gas flowing thereto.

The lighter body 10 further comprises a gas releasable valve 14operatively mounted on the liquefied gas storage 11 for controlling thegas flowing therefrom and a gas lever 15, which is disposed in thelighter body 10 in a pivotal movable manner, having an engaging end 151engaged with the gas releasable valve 14 and a depressible end 152arranged in such a manner that when the depressible end 152 of the gaslever 15 is depressed downwardly, the engaging end 151 of the gas lever15 lifts up the gas releasable valve 14 for releasing gas from theliquefied gas storage 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pusher button 30, which is slidably mounted onthe sidewall of the lighter body 10 along the pusher slot 13, has adepressing arm 31 extended into the lighter body 10 to rest on top ofthe movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 and arrangedin such a manner that when the pusher button 30 is depressed downwardly,the movable operating part 21 of the piezoelectric unit 20 and thedepressible end 152 of the gas lever 15 are respectively depressed atthe same time to generate the sparks and to release the gas so as toignite the piezoelectric lighter.

The nozzle seat 41 comprises a supporting platform 411 substantiallysupporting the gas emitting nozzle 42 in a stationary manner to retainthe gas tube 12 connecting to the gas emitting nozzle 42 in a gascommunicating manner, wherein the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectricunit 20 is securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41 to retain the ignitiontip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 at a position closed to the gasemitting nozzle 42 such that when the nozzle seat 41 is driven to turn,the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 areretained in position for allowing the gas flowing towards the gasemitting nozzle 42 and the sparks generated at the ignition tip 22 ofthe piezoelectric unit 20 towards the gas emitting nozzle 42respectively.

The nozzle head 40 further comprises a windshield 43, having a top flameopening 431, securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41 to enclose the gasemitting nozzle 42 at a position that the gas emitting nozzle 42 isaligned with the top flame opening 431. The windshield 43 further hastwo opposing side stopper surfaces 432 adapted to bias against the topceiling wall 102 of the lighter body 10 so as to limit a pivot movementof the nozzle head 40. Accordingly, the nozzle head 40 is adapted topivotally turn 180° between the two inner sidewalls 101 of the lighterbody 10. Therefore, the two side stopper surfaces 432 of the windshield43 prevent the over-turning of the nozzle head 40.

As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle joint 50 comprises two pivot shafts 51outwardly and integrally extended from two sides of the nozzle seat 41to rotatably mount to the inner sidewalls 101 of the lighter body 10respectively so as to allow the nozzle head 40 pivotally turningtherebetween, wherein the guiding slot 501 is formed on each of thepivot shafts 51 as a guiding through channel such that the gas tube 12is extended through one of the pivot shafts 51 to communicativelyconnect to the gas emitting tube 42 while the ignition tip 22 of thepiezoelectric unit 20 is extended through another pivot shaft 51 to aposition closed to the gas emitting nozzle 42.

According to the present invention, the nozzle head 40 can be normallyturned at a position that the gas emitting nozzle 42 is in an uprightmanner as a regular piezoelectric lighter such that when the pusherbutton 30 is depressed downwardly, the gas ejecting from the gasemitting nozzle 42 is ignited at the orientation of the gas emittingnozzle 42. When the nozzle head 40 is pivotally turned to adjust theorientation of the gas emitting nozzle 42 with respect to the lighterbody 10, the gas is ejected correspondingly to adjust the igniting angleof the piezoelectric lighter. It is worth to mention that when thenozzle head 40 is pivotally turned, the nozzle seat 41 retains the gastube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 in positionso as to ensure the gas ejecting at the gas emitting nozzle 42 and beingignited properly.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a piezoelectric lighter of a secondembodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment ofthe present invention, wherein the nozzle head 40′ is adapted to turn indifferent direction via the nozzle joint 50′ in comparison with thefirst embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, the piezoelectric lighter of the second embodimenthas a structural configuration same as the structure of thepiezoelectric lighter of the first embodiment, expect the shape of thelighter body 10′, the nozzle head 40′ and the nozzle 50′, wherein thelighter body 10′ has a top ceiling wall 102′ pivotally supporting thenozzle head 40′ via the nozzle joint 50′, as shown in FIG. 5.

The nozzle seat 41′ comprises a supporting platform 411′ substantiallysupporting the gas emitting nozzle 42′ in a stationary manner to retainthe gas tube 12 connecting to the gas emitting nozzle 42′ in a gascommunicating manner, wherein the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectricunit 20 is securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41′ to retain theignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 at a position closed to thegas emitting nozzle 42′ such that when the nozzle seat 41′ is driven toturn, the gas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit20 are retained in position for allowing the gas flowing towards the gasemitting nozzle 42′ and the sparks generated at the ignition tip 22 ofthe piezoelectric unit 20 towards the gas emitting nozzle 42′respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, the gas emitting nozzle 42′ issupported by the nozzle seat 41′ at a position transversely above thetop ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′.

The nozzle head 40′ further comprises a windshield 43′, having a sideflame opening 431′, securely mounted to the nozzle seat 41′ to enclosethe gas emitting nozzle 42′ at a position that the gas emitting nozzle42′ is aligned with the side flame opening 431′. Accordingly, thewindshield 43′ has a tubular structure that the nozzle seat 41′ issecurely mounted within the windshield 43′.

As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle joint 50′ comprises a pivot shaft 51′downwardly extended from the nozzle seat 41′ to rotatably mount to thetop ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′ so as to allow the nozzlehead 40′ pivotally turning thereon, wherein the guiding slot 501′ isformed at the pivot shaft 51′ as a guiding through channel such that thegas tube 12 and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 arerespectively extended through the pivot shaft 51′ to communicativelyconnect to the gas emitting nozzle 42′ and to a position closed to thegas emitting nozzle 42′. Accordingly, the pivot shaft 51′ is integrallyand downwardly extended from the windshield 43′ wherein the gas tube 12and the ignition tip 22 of the piezoelectric unit 20 are extendedthrough the windshield 43′ to communicate with the gas emitting nozzle42′.

The pivot shaft 51′ has a stopper edge 511′ adapted to bias against thetop ceiling wall 102′ of the lighter body 10′ so as to limit a pivotmovement of the nozzle head 40′. Accordingly, the nozzle head 40 isadapted to pivotally turn more than 180° on the top ceiling wall 102′ ofthe lighter body 10′. A blocking edge 512′ is formed in the lighter body10′ at the pivot shaft 51′ to block the pivot movement of the nozzlehead 40′ when the stopper edge 511′ of the pivot shaft 51′ reaches theblocking edge 512′ of the lighter body 10′. Therefore, the stopper edge511′ of the pivot shaft 51′ prevents the over-turning of the nozzle head40′.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of thepresent invention as shown in the drawings and described above isexemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have beenfully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown anddescribed for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structuralprinciples of the present invention and is subject to change withoutdeparture from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes allmodifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the followingclaims.

1. A piezoelectric lighter, comprising: a lighter body having aliquefied gas storage and a gas tube communicatively extendingtherefrom; a piezoelectric unit, which is disposed in said lighter bodyfor generating piezoelectricity, comprising a movable operating partextended upwardly and an ignition tip, wherein when said movableoperating part is depressed downwardly, sparks are generated from saidignition tip; a pusher button slidably mounted to said lighter body todepress said movable operating part of said piezoelectric unit and torelease a flow of gas from said liquefied gas storage through said gastube at the same time; a nozzle head comprising a nozzle seat and a gasemitting nozzle supported on said nozzle seat in a stationary manner forcontrolling said gas ejecting at said gas emitting nozzle; and a nozzlejoint, which is movably coupling said nozzle head with said lighterbody, having a guiding slot allowing said gas tube extending to said gasemitting nozzle and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unitextending to a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle, wherein saidnozzle seat is adapted to be selectively turned with respect to saidlighter body via said nozzle joint to selectively adjust an orientationof said gas emitting nozzle so as to adjust an gas ejecting angle ofsaid nozzle head with respect to said lighter body.
 2. The piezoelectriclighter, as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighter body has a U-shapedtop portion defining two inner sidewalls and a top ceiling wall toreceive said nozzle head between said two inner sidewalls on top of saidtope ceiling wall, wherein said nozzle joint comprises two pivot shaftsoutwardly and integrally extended from two sides of said nozzle seat torotatably mount to said inner sidewalls of said lighter bodyrespectively so as to allow said nozzle head pivotally turningtherebetween.
 3. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 2,wherein said guiding slot is formed on each of said pivot shafts as aguiding through channel such that said gas tube is extended through oneof said pivot shafts to communicatively connect to said gas emittingtube while said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is extendedthrough another said pivot shaft to a position closed to said gasemitting nozzle.
 4. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 1,wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platform substantiallysupporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retainsaid gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gascommunicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectricunit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tipof the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emittingnozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tubeand said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained inposition for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzleand said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectricunit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.
 5. The piezoelectriclighter, as recited in claim 2, wherein said nozzle seat comprises asupporting platform substantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle ina stationary manner to retain said gas tube connecting to said gasemitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner, wherein said ignition tipof said piezoelectric unit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat toretain said ignition tip of the piezoelectric unit at a position closedto said gas emitting nozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven toturn, said gas tube and said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit areretained in position for allowing said gas flowing towards said gasemitting nozzle and said sparks generated at said ignition tip of saidpiezoelectric unit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.
 6. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 3, wherein said nozzle seatcomprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gasemitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tubeconnecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner,wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mountedto said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectricunit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that whensaid nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tipof said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing saidgas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generatedat said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gasemitting nozzle respectively.
 7. The piezoelectric lighter, as recitedin claim 2, wherein said nozzle head further comprises a windshield,having a top flame opening, securely mounted to said nozzle seat toenclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position that said gas emittingnozzle is aligned with said top flame opening.
 8. The piezoelectriclighter, as recited in claim 5, wherein said nozzle head furthercomprises a windshield, having a top flame opening, securely mounted tosaid nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at a position thatsaid gas emitting nozzle is aligned with said top flame opening.
 9. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 6, wherein said nozzle headfurther comprises a windshield, having a top flame opening, securelymounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at aposition that said gas emitting nozzle is aligned with said top flameopening.
 10. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 7, whereinsaid windshield further has two opposing side stopper surfaces adaptedto bias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as tolimit a pivot movement of said nozzle head.
 11. The piezoelectriclighter, as recited in claim 8, wherein said windshield further has twoopposing side stopper surfaces adapted to bias against said top ceilingwall of said lighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzlehead.
 12. The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 9, wherein saidwindshield further has two opposing side stopper surfaces adapted tobias against said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to limit apivot movement of said nozzle head.
 13. The piezoelectric lighter, asrecited in claim 1, wherein said lighter body has a top ceiling wallsupporting said nozzle head thereon, wherein said nozzle joint comprisesa pivot shaft downwardly extended from said nozzle seat to rotatablymount to said top ceiling wall of said lighter body so as to allow saidnozzle head pivotally turning thereon.
 14. The piezoelectric lighter, asrecited in claim 13, wherein said guiding slot is formed at said pivotshaft as a guiding through channel such that said gas tube and saidignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are respectively extendedthrough said pivot shaft to communicatively connect to said gas emittingnozzle and to a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle.
 15. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 14, wherein said pivot shafthas a stopper edge adapted to bias against said top ceiling wall of saidlighter body so as to limit a pivot movement of said nozzle head. 16.The piezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 13, wherein said nozzleseat comprises a supporting platform substantially supporting said gasemitting nozzle in a stationary manner to retain said gas tubeconnecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gas communicating manner,wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit is securely mountedto said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tip of the piezoelectricunit at a position closed to said gas emitting nozzle such that whensaid nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tube and said ignition tipof said piezoelectric unit are retained in position for allowing saidgas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzle and said sparks generatedat said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit towards said gasemitting nozzle respectively.
 17. The piezoelectric lighter, as recitedin claim 15, wherein said nozzle seat comprises a supporting platformsubstantially supporting said gas emitting nozzle in a stationary mannerto retain said gas tube connecting to said gas emitting nozzle in a gascommunicating manner, wherein said ignition tip of said piezoelectricunit is securely mounted to said nozzle seat to retain said ignition tipof the piezoelectric unit at a position closed to said gas emittingnozzle such that when said nozzle seat is driven to turn, said gas tubeand said ignition tip of said piezoelectric unit are retained inposition for allowing said gas flowing towards said gas emitting nozzleand said sparks generated at said ignition tip of said piezoelectricunit towards said gas emitting nozzle respectively.
 18. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 13, wherein said nozzle headfurther comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securelymounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at aposition that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on saidtop ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.
 19. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 15, wherein said nozzle headfurther comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securelymounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at aposition that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on saidtop ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.
 20. Thepiezoelectric lighter, as recited in claim 17, wherein said nozzle headfurther comprises a windshield, having a side flame opening, securelymounted to said nozzle seat to enclose said gas emitting nozzle at aposition that said gas emitting nozzle is transversely supported on saidtop ceiling wall to align with said side flame opening.